Enabling passcode and fingerprint locks

- In this movie, I wanna talk about passcodesand fingerprint locks on an iPhone or iPad.Passcodes are essential to get any levelof security on a iOS device.I also wanna talk about the fingerprint lock featurethat comes with some iPhones and iPadswhich is known as Touch ID.There's more information about bothof these features in iOS 8: Essential Training.But first I wanna see what it looks likewhen I have a passcode lock on my phoneand to do that I'm going to put the device to sleepand I'm gonna wake it up by hitting any of the buttonsthen I'll swipe on the screenand I have to type in my passcode to get into the device.

When I first set up this device,it prompted me to create a passcodewhich is a good thing.You may have skipped that step when you set up your device.But that's fine, we'll see howto set up a passcode in a minute.So, of course, to unlock my device,I'll type in my passcode.Now, I've got a very simple, basic passcode here.It's just one, two, three, four.But it's generally not a good ideato use a passcode that's so easy to guess.In fact, when I first set up this passcode,the iPhone warned me that this passcode is very easyto guess and it suggested that I not use it.

But since we're just using it for example purposes,I think it's fine for now.So, that's the passcode in action.Let's take a look at some of the settings.I'm gonna go into Settings on my device.Gonna scroll down a bit and I'm lookingfor the option for passcode.Now, on my device it says Touch ID & Passcodebecause I have the Touch ID fingerprint sensoron this device.But if you do not have the Touch ID fingerprint sensor,the option will simply say Passcode.So, I'm gonna go ahead and go into this.

Before I can make any changes to these settingsI have to type in my passcode again here.So, I'll go ahead and do thatand now we're in and we can make some changes.Now, this is where you would goto turn off your passcode or to change your passcode.This is also where you would go to set upa passcode if you don't already have that set up.And I recommend that you do becauseit is the most basic, essential security precautionthat you can and should take.But how secure is it?With a passcode, we're really walkingthe line between security and convenience.

If you don't use a passcode, it's super easyto unlock your phone with just a swipe on the screen.But then anybody can pick up your phoneand do whatever they want with it.A four digit code is more secure butit takes a little effort every time you unlock your phone.So, it's a little less convenient.Now, you can make things more convenientby adjusting some settings.So, for example, if I scroll down here a little bitthere's this option that saysRequire Passcode Immediately.I'm gonna tap on that and I can change itto a different amount of time.

So, I'm gonna change it to one minute.So, what does that do?Well, now when I put my device to sleepand I wake it up and I swipe.I don't have to put in the passcode.But if I were to leave my device asleep for one minuteor longer then I would need to type in the passcode.So, it's just a thing that will make it more convenientif you're gonna be checking yourdevice constantly every few seconds.So, I'm gonna go back into my settingsfor a Touch ID and passcode.

I'll have to type in my passcode to get inand I'm gonna change that require passcodeback to immediately.So, changing the require passcode timewill make things more convenient.Now, here's something you can do to make thingsa little bit more secure althoughit would be less convenient.And that is to disable the simple passcode option.Now, the four digit passcodethat we've been using is a simple passcode.So, if I turn this offand I'll need to confirm by typing in my current passcode,now I can type in a new password that can be any length.

It can be complex.It can include different characters,and numbers, and symbols.The idea is that a four digit code mightbe fairly easy for somebody to guessor to look over your shoulder and see when you type it in.But if instead you set up a longer, more complex passwordit's more secure but it will be a little moretedious every time you have to type it in.I'm just gonna cancel this.I think you have the idea.So, those are passcode options.Let's talk for a minute about Touch IDwhich is available on the newest iPhones and iPads.

Touch ID, which is the fingerprint sensor,is an extra layer on top of the passcode featureand this is where a lot of confusion comes in.So, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonnaset up the fingerprint sensorand all I need to do is scroll hereand I'm gonna hit this option to add a fingerprint.Of course, this will not be hereif you don't have a device that uses Touch ID.And now I'm just gonna have to scan my fingerprint.To do that, I'm just gonna touch the fingerprint sensorseveral times and let it scan my finger over and over again.

After the initial scan, it's gonna ask me to adjust my gripso that it can scan the edges of my fingerprint.So, I'll do that, I'll hit continue.And now I'll let it scan the edges justby placing the edges of my finger on the fingerprint sensor.And now I've completely scanned my fingerand I'll hit continue.Now, here's the important part.Touch ID does not replace the passcode.It's simply an alternative to the passcode.I've heard people say that they don't like the ideaof the fingerprint sensor because theydon't wanna be locked out of the phoneif the fingerprint sensor doesn't work for some reason.

But that's not the case.Once you've set up Touch IDyou can put your device to sleepand when you wake it up you canjust touch the fingerprint sensorand it will unlock.Or if you chooseyou can wake up the device,swipe, and type in your passcode.You see, you're not able to set up a fingerprintunless you already have a passcode or password lock enabled.So, once you set up Touch ID you can chooseto scan your fingerprint or type in the passcode.

It's really a way to keep things securebut also maintain some convenience.So, the fingerprint sensor is much more convenientand it's safe to use but it's not necessarily more secure.Sure, nobody can use your fingerprint sensorwithout your actual finger but they couldstill unlock your device if they had the passcode.You should still make sure your passcode is uniqueand not easily guessed.So, with all this in mind,if you have Touch ID, there's a way to keep your iPhoneor iPad very secure while still keeping some convenience.

And that is to turn off this simple passcode optionthen create a long, complex, difficult to guess passwordbut still make sure it's something you'll remember.Then enable Touch ID.You'll have the option to type inyour password when you need itbut you'll usually unlock the deviceusing just your fingerprint.Now, at this point, consider how secure you need your deviceto be and how convenient you want itto be to unlock your device.

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Released

1/21/2015

Keep the critical information on your iPad and iPhone safe and secure with these proactive and surprisingly simple measures. Nick Brazzi explains common security terms and concepts, helping iOS users understand security risks as well as what to do when a device is lost or stolen. You'll also learn how to protect passwords on a device, secure location data, protect devices from malware, and locate, disable, or even erase devices when they go missing.